Featured Relics & Militaria
This a totally rare complete one off relic which is a heavily battle-damaged American Easy company M1 steel helmet which still has its spade badges on both sides which are still mostly clear to see. This is the rarest helmet i have ever had to sell and probably always will be. The helmet is associated with Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, and retains the distinctive white spade unit marking associated with Easy Company.
The helmet which is in relic condition but is mostly battle damaged with lots of splits and impact damage and has has bent over as well from the force of the explosion but is in remarkable condition for a relic. The helmet has bit of rust damage with a few some rust holes but nothing to bad. It is a solid piece which is not breaking up or falling apart it does not have any of its leather liner in place but does have some of its original green paintwork remains very clear to see it has been very nicely cleaned and is perfect for display or any collection. The helmet was recovered in the late 1980's or early 1990’s in a large wartime hole or position together with other American military equipment, including a substantial quantity of medical equipment and supplies. The mixed nature of the material suggests that the site was used as a temporary American field position or equipment cache during the fighting in the famous Foy woods which was fought over during the in battle of Bulge of December 1944 until January 1945..The helmet comes with 5 x A5 laminated information cards with map and many pictures with lots close up pictures of the helmet and its badge.
I myself have owned this helmet for 20 years and has been in my collection for that long i bought it directly from the man who recovered it himself and came directly out of his collection. I have seen some of his collection not all of it as some he would not show and what i saw is amazing he has been digging in the Ardennes forest for a very long time so i have a direct line of custardy and direct history of the helmet personally.
The recovery area lies within the Foy battlefield, where the 101st Airborne Division fought during the German Ardennes Offensive. Easy Company occupied positions in and around Bois Jacques and the woods overlooking Foy, enduring intense winter conditions, artillery fire and repeated German attacks. The fighting around Foy formed part of the wider defence of Bastogne and culminated in the American advance into the village in early January 1945.
Today, the helmet provides a remarkable physical link to the men of Easy Company and the brutal conditions they experienced in the Foy sector. Its severe fragmentation, penetrations, splits and deformation, combined with the surviving original Easy Company marking, make it a striking survivor from one of the most famous episodes of the Battle of the Bulge—the same history later brought to a worldwide audience through the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers.
This is a British soldiers Brodie helmet which has no liner in place but is dated 1941 on the chin strap holders also manufacturer/date marking 1761 over III which is all clear to see.
The helmet is not to badly corroded but is battle-damaged condition, including a large perforation through the crown with splits from the impact of the hit. The helmet is lightly rusty due to being in dry sand and hot weather and this is why it has no rust roles or rust damage but with extensive pitting and weathering, and desert sand retained beneath the rim, is consistent with prolonged exposure in the Egyptian desert environment. The helmet has no real paintwork remains but it is not rusted away it has been weathered away by the sand apart from a tiny bit inside which looks green with some yellow over the top but there really is not much at all but it still retains some original colour in places mostly the rim. The helmet has been very nicely cleaned is lovely and solid not braking up or falling apart and is perfect for display or any collection. This a very rare relic from the famous North African battlefield of 1942-1943 and comes with 4xA5 laminated information cards with many pictures and all the information possible.
The helmet was recovered from the El Alamein battlefield in 2009 by Egyptian-Sahara.com, an expedition and battlefield-tour company that operated in Egypt during the late 2000s and early 2010s and specialised in expeditions to the El Alamein battlefield. Contemporary Egyptian-Sahara promotional material supplied with the helmet provides supporting provenance for its recovery and shows the company documenting and displaying battlefield relics from the area. The accompanying leaflet is retained as supporting documentary evidence of the company and its El Alamein battlefield activities.
El Alamein was the scene of the decisive Second Battle of El Alamein, fought from 23 October to 11 November 1942, when the British Eighth Army under General Bernard Montgomery launched a major offensive against German and Italian forces commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. After fierce fighting across the desert, the Axis forces were forced to withdraw westwards. The victory halted the Axis advance towards Egypt and the Suez Canal and became a major turning point in the North African Campaign. The helmet therefore represents a tangible surviving artefact connected to the British and Commonwealth forces that fought in this strategically important desert theatre.
Recently Added Relics & Militaria
This is a circular steel mounting flange from the forward fuselage in the front air intake it is steel made and shows some clear impact damage from the crash.
This part is in relic condition it is rusty but pretty much complete with 2 large bolt holes and is solid condition and has been carefully cleaned. The plate is 10 inches long by 7 half inches wide it is ideal for display or any military collection. The part is from Hawker Tempest JN765, collision with V1 rocket on 1 July 1944 and crashed at Winchelsea. It comes with an 2x A5 laminated information cards with diagram card also map.
Hawker Tempest V JN765 “JF-K” — Flying Officer George “Ted” Kosh
Near Winchelsea, East Sussex | 1 July 1944
Hunting the V-1 flying bombs
In the summer of 1944, No. 3 Squadron RAF operated Hawker Tempest Mk V fighters from the advanced landing ground at Newchurch in Kent. The Tempest was exceptionally fast at low altitude and became one of the RAF’s most effective aircraft for intercepting Germany’s V-1 flying bombs, pilotless weapons launched from occupied Europe towards London and southern England. Pilots had to locate the small, fast targets and destroy them before they reached populated areas. Shooting at a V-1 from close range was dangerous, and attempting to tip one over with a wing could risk damaging the fighter itself. No. 3 Squadron became a leading V-1 interceptor unit during this campaign.
The loss of JN765
On 1 July 1944, Flying Officer George Edward “Ted” Kosh took off from RAF Newchurch in Tempest V JN765, coded JF-K, to intercept a V-1 flying bomb. During the pursuit, Kosh followed the target into cloud and his aircraft disappeared from view. The Tempest subsequently crashed near Winchelsea in East Sussex, killing the pilot. The aircraft was lost in the countryside near the Sussex coast, and the incident became one of the tragic losses suffered by the RAF during the intense anti-V-1 campaign.
The pilot and the unresolved cause
Kosh was a young pilot of No. 3 Squadron who had already achieved success against enemy aircraft and V-1s. Accounts differ over the precise cause of the crash. The official explanation is reported as loss of control in cloud while pursuing the flying bomb. Some fellow pilots reportedly suspected that the coastal anti-aircraft guns may have been responsible, while another possibility raised by later writers is that a V-1 exploded close to the Tempest. These alternatives have not been conclusively established, so the most reliable wording is that Kosh disappeared into cloud during the interception and crashed shortly afterwards, with the exact cause remaining uncertain.
The crash site and later recovery
The crash site was excavated in 1995. Reports of the recovery indicate that substantial remains of the aircraft and evidence relating to Kosh were found at the site. His remains were subsequently recovered and he was buried at Hawkinge Cemetery in Kent. The discovery linked the physical remains of JN765 with the documented loss of the Tempest and its pilot on 1 July 1944.
Historical accuracy note
The aircraft identity JN765, code JF-K, unit, pilot and date are supported by RAF squadron history and specialist aviation research. The crash is associated with a V-1 interception near Winchelsea, but the precise cause remains disputed. Avoid stating as fact that a V-1 explosion or friendly anti-aircraft fire brought the aircraft down; both appear in later discussion as possibilities rather than proven conclusions.
This is a very rare Napoleonic military horse-harness ornament remains which looks like its copper made not brass this one was found around the French lines.
The ornament has broken in half it is in nice relic but solid condition still has some of its original colour and is in very nice overall condition and is not breaking up or falling apart. The part is 2 half has been carefully cleaned cleaned and is perfect to display and a nice rare one for any collection. The part comes with 2x A5 laminated information cards with pictures and map.
The part which is extremally rare to find was recovered over the years by local farmers from the Waterloo battlefield of 1815 in Belgium.
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on 18 June 1815 between Napoleon’s French Army and a coalition led by the Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blücher. The decisive battle of its age, it concluded a war that had raged for 23 years, ended French attempts to dominate Europe, and destroyed Napoleon’s imperial power forever. Napoleon was defeated. He spoke of fighting on but was forced to abdicate when the Allies entered Paris on 7 July. He spent the rest of his life in exile on the island of St Helena in the South Atlantic.
The French Army had their greatest military commander in Napoleon Bonaparte. He was loved by his loyal troops, demonised by his enemies, feared and respected by all. His army was composed of veterans who had rallied to his cause on his return from exile. Having detached 33,000 men to follow the Prussians after Ligny, Napoleon had 72,000 men and 246 guns at Waterloo.
The Anglo-Allied army had 68,000 men and 156 guns. The men were a blend of inexperienced troops and veterans of the Peninsular War (1808-14). With such a mixed force, there was no question of Wellington going on the offensive. The French under Napoleon lost nearly 40,000 men killed, wounded or captured. The Allies suffered 22,000 casualties.
This is a very rare soldiers clay tobacco pipe remains which could of belonged to a soldier on any side of the battle as soldiers from all nations involved used them but this one was found around the French lines.
The pipe has broken as many did it is in nice relic but solid condition still has it original colour and is in very nice overall condition and is not breaking up or falling apart. The pipe has been carefully cleaned cleaned and is perfect to display and a nice rare one for any collection. The pipe comes with A5 laminated information card with pictures.
The part which is extremally rare to find was recovered over the years by local farmers from the Waterloo battlefield of 1815 in Belgium.
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on 18 June 1815 between Napoleon’s French Army and a coalition led by the Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blücher. The decisive battle of its age, it concluded a war that had raged for 23 years, ended French attempts to dominate Europe, and destroyed Napoleon’s imperial power forever. Napoleon was defeated. He spoke of fighting on but was forced to abdicate when the Allies entered Paris on 7 July. He spent the rest of his life in exile on the island of St Helena in the South Atlantic.
The French Army had their greatest military commander in Napoleon Bonaparte. He was loved by his loyal troops, demonised by his enemies, feared and respected by all. His army was composed of veterans who had rallied to his cause on his return from exile. Having detached 33,000 men to follow the Prussians after Ligny, Napoleon had 72,000 men and 246 guns at Waterloo.
The Anglo-Allied army had 68,000 men and 156 guns. The men were a blend of inexperienced troops and veterans of the Peninsular War (1808-14). With such a mixed force, there was no question of Wellington going on the offensive. The French under Napoleon lost nearly 40,000 men killed, wounded or captured. The Allies suffered 22,000 casualties.
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This is a very rare large glass-framed air crew issued P38 pistol holster remains which is the back section of the holster it is maker marked with its waffen stamp and P38 mark as well. The black leather has very little discolour and damage from being buried the part is still very solid condition not braking up or falling apart and has been mounted in a glass-fronted box frame measuring 17 half inches long by 17 half inches wide making it perfect for display or a collection.
The holster remains was recovered from the wreckage of German Heinkel He 111 of 2./KGr 126, Werknummer 5709, which was shot down during a night operation over the London area. The aircraft was destroyed at approximately 2:00 am on 16th October 1940 after being intercepted by a British night fighter.
The Heinkel He 111 was engaged on a minelaying sortie over the Thames Estuary when it was intercepted and shot down by a Boulton Paul Defiant of No. 264 Squadron, flown by Pilot Officer F. D. Hughes with Sergeant F. Gash as air gunner. The bomber crashed and exploded at Creaseys Farm, Hutton, near Brentwood, at approximately 2:00 am on 16th October 1940.
Leutnant K. Newald and Gefreiter H.-J. Granetz successfully bailed out and were captured uninjured. Unteroffizier K. Glaser and Gefreiter J. Twrdik remained aboard the aircraft and were both killed in the crash.
This is a rare and evocative Battle of Britain relic with excellent provenance, making it a superb addition to any Luftwaffe, Battle of Britain, or Second World War collection.